


Safe

by Blitzindite



Series: The V'ehsz Legacy [9]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Cybernetics, Gen, Jedi, Mirialans (Star Wars), Reunions, Unethical Experimentation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25925824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blitzindite/pseuds/Blitzindite
Summary: He was hurting, and so many horrible things had to have happened to him over the years he was gone, but she offered to him her strength. Offered someone for him to finally lean on—who he would lean on—someone to take the weight away. Even if just for a little while.
Series: The V'ehsz Legacy [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862341
Kudos: 1





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> eyy I couldn’t leave Meteor and Lose Count without something to tie them up, so here’s their sequel! Varrich makes it to the Alliance base and sees his sister for the first time in a long time – I suggest reading those first two before this one  
> Varrich is my main Trooper. Lina's a Consular in-game, but not my main one, so she doesn't follow that class's storyline  
> \------  
> [there's art to go with it here](https://blitzindite.tumblr.com/post/626566219558993920/he-was-hurting-and-so-many-horrible-things-had-to)

A slow breath. Eyes closed. She could sense the others in the room around. Those were of dark, and light, and that which rested somewhere between. Sith, and Jedi, and Voss.

She wasn’t sure if she could ever get used to it. Not fully. Not to clashing lightsabers with a Sith not in battle, but to train; not in walking past men in full Imperial uniform without having weapons drawn on her; not in hearing the Barsen’thor and a former Dark Councillor speak like old friends about ancient cultures and temples and artifacts; not with the Empire’s former Wrath ( _second_ former? hadn’t there been one before her?) chatting with Master Timmns like they’d known one another for a long time. And _most certainly_ not with following the orders of a _bounty hunter_ of all people. It was…strange.

Not that Melina would complain, of course. All the different people the Alliance drew in—the smugglers, the Force-sensitives, the troopers, the brilliant minds of science, everything and everyone between and beyond—was really something to behold. It wasn’t much, not at first, but it seemed to grow with every passing day. The Commander was a little rough around the edges, but the Jedi didn’t blame her, really. She had plenty of reason to be, after all—and that was without the whole bounty hunter and Mandalorian thing she had going on.

Another breath. In, out. Slow.

Clear mind. No distractions—

Her eyes snapped open with a gasp. She sensed—

“Master Melina—”

“I’ll be back,” she assured Sana-Rae. “Just…” Melina was on her feet before she could even find her next words. “I need to check on something.”

The Commander had gone back to Zakuul with Theron. Base had gotten word that they were returning a while ago. They weren’t alone. No, there was…someone else, with them. A familiar someone else. Surely her senses were messing with her. She’d given up hope a long time ago that he’d be found. She knew he wasn’t dead—she would have sensed it!—but…

The shuttle was expertly piloted into the military hangar and a group of troops consisting about half-and-half of Republic and Imperial uniforms moved out of its way.

When the door opened, the first to hop out was the Commander. There were still ashes in her hair and smeared across her face to make those bright red eyes all the more eerie. The ashes were probably from her own weapon, knowing her, and there were new blaster marks scored into the paint on her armor. She smelled of smoke and singed hair, too, and ignored those around her to instead cut straight for Lana; the Sith had been waiting near Admiral Aygo. They spoke too quietly for her to pick up on anything.

Theron followed shortly thereafter. “Someone find Yuun,” he ordered the group of troopers. “Have him bring a—” his eyes landed on Melina and he waved her down. “Uh, never mind—looks like we’ve got a healer here! Just get Yuun.” A woman in a Republic uniform trotted off while the Jedi approached. Theron turned away to lean back into the shuttle, spoke to whoever else was still onboard, “You got him? You sure? Yeah, yeah, okay,” before turning to join Lana and the Commander.

Feet carrying her closer to the shuttle, Melina’s brows raised in surprise at the sight of Aric Jorgan. She hadn’t seen him since…

…Since her brother’s funeral. That funeral without a body, and one of the only times in her adult life that Melina could remember ever crying.

Her brother, who she’d grown up with long before she was a Jedi and he was of Havoc. Her brother—her twin—who she wouldn’t let the Jedi Code keep her from loving dearly.

Her brother, whose arm was draped over the Cathar’s shoulder.

Her brother, who looked like he’d been starved and beaten and had dingy metal cybernetics in his face and completely replacing one arm and looked absolutely _exhausted_ and _defeated_.

“…Vee?” Her own voice startled her.

He only had one eye, now. The other was a cheap, ugly replacement that looked like it would crack if it was so much as touched wrong. Still, when that one good eye met hers, a little bit of color seemed to spark back into it as his breath hitched. He’d have stumbled if not for Jorgan’s sturdy frame holding him steady.

He mouthed her name, silently. Swallowed.

Nothing had to be said for Jorgan to transfer Varrich to the Jedi’s care. He was hesitating, but to Melina’s reassuring nod, he turned away to join the Commander.

Her hands reached up to cup Varrich’s face, thumbing gingerly at dark bruises and familiar tattoos. Brushing the hair out of his eyes.

His knuckled went pale as he curled a fist into the loose fabric of her robes. “Lina..?” Hesitant, soft, like he was afraid saying her name would make her disappear. When he said it again, his voice cracked. Moisture welled up in his eye, but he rapidly blinked it away.

“Shh… I’m right here.”

She knew Varrich. She knew him better than anyone. He tried to be strong—for the people he saved, for his superiors, for his team. He’d never cry. Not when he knew they needed him to keep his head high and emotions in check. He would forever be the pillar for others to lean on and he’d die before he’d ever force someone else to take the weight from his shoulders.

But when it came to Melina? She could feel the tension melt from his back and shoulders as she wrapped her arms around him, as she tucked his head under her chin and hummed softly. Hummed an old lullaby. One their parents used to sing when the twins were little to take their minds off the horrible things on their planet for a few moments. To help them sleep, to soothe them when they cried or became frightened.

He was hurting, and so many horrible things had to have happened to him over the years he was gone, but she offered to him her strength. Offered someone for him to finally lean on—who he _would_ lean on—someone to take the weight away. Even if just for a little while.

She ran her fingers through his hair. It was too long and too messy, hanging in his face even as she brushed it away again instead of the neat cut and ponytail he always used to wear it in. She could feel his ribs under his loose-fitting top, the jagged cybernetics in his spine, his tears on her neck and the way his body shook when he finally let himself cry.

She could only close her eyes and hum, hold him close, tell him he was safe. Now wasn’t the time to prod about what had happened. Now was the time to be the pillar he so badly needed but wouldn’t let himself look for.

She never thought seeing him again would break her heart.


End file.
